Fluidal apparatus



M. P. OSBOURN.

FLUIDAL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3.1919.

Patented July 20, 1920'.

2 SHEETSSHE ET 2.

WITNESS A TTORN E Y3 UNITED STATS PATENT OFFICE.

MILLABD P. OSBOURN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FLUIDAL APPARATUS.

Application filed July 3,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MILLARD P. OsBoURN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fluidal Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a mechanical means or system adapted to operate upon or manipulate fluids of any kind for the purpose, among others, of producing, in an elastic fluid, a high degree of vacuum, or a high degree of compressibility, or both simultaneously, or in elastic or non-elastic fluids, a changed state or condition thereof, whereby such fluids may be subjected to the action, physical, chemical or otherwise, of other fluids or mediums, not ordinarily possible or practical, under normal conditions, with a small expenditure of energy, effectively, efficiently, cheaply and with unlim ited capacity to meet the demands arising from any industry.

life of the objects is to provide a new and useful fluid pump for physically compresss ing and exhausting or attenuating elastic fluids, vapors, gases and the like.

Another object is to provide a new and useful mechanical'system for compressing' and exhausting or attenuating elastic fluids,

vapors, gases and the like by physically en- 7 trapping the same in a movable vessel adapted to be exposed to progressively increasing static or hydrostatic pressure.

Another object is to provide a new and useful mechanical means for producing a high degree of vacuum in an efficient and effective manner without the mechanicaldefects and losses, such as leakage and the like, usually incident to a vacuum pump comprising moving mechanical parts.

Another object is to provide a new and useful mechanical means for compressing an elastic fluid, vapor, gas or similar substance in an effective and efficient manner without the mechanical defects and losses, such as leakage and the like, usually incident to a compressor or fluid pump comprising movable mechanical parts,

Another object is to provide a new and useful means for physically acting upon elastic fluids which ordinarily are difficult of manipulation by reason of their inherent chemical properties, such as corrosiveness and similar destructive effects,.active upon Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 20 1 920. 1919. Serial no. 308,600.. r i

the usual mechanical parts of a pump or similar mechanical device.

Another object is to provide a new and useful means for also acting upon mate rials of any fluidal or fluidic nature, elastic or non-elastic, among which may be injected to the action or condition of any of the others, such as catalytic effects, temperature effects such as heat or refrigeration,

etc. v

Another object is to provide a new and useful mechanical means adapted to accomplish the objects herein indicated in an efficient manner with great capacity, beyond that usually possible, with existing devices.

Another object is to provide a new and useful device in the nature of a barometric liquid container and a fluid extracting and compressing means therein, for hydrostatically applying pressure to said fluid.

Such other objects and advantages as flow from my invention will more fully appear from the following specification.-

To the ends above and hereinafter mentioned one form or embodiment of my invention 'is herein described and illustrated upon the accompanying drawing, which is capable of functioning as a vacuum pump or as a fluid compressoror both simultaneously as the occasion may dictate, or as a chemical apparatus for subjecting fluidal substances of one density to others of differ As an example, in the caseof the production of a vacuum of high degree it has heretofore been possible only to produce such by: the mercury pump. Such, however, is limited in its capacity and has no practical utility except for laboratory use and only upon a comparatively small scale. Where it is desired to produce and maintain a vacuum in devices requiring larger capacities the mercury pump is out of the question. In a manufacturing or power vplant operating large power units, as for instance, steam ing piston compressor.

turbines, large condensers are necessary in connection therewith for maintaining a high vacuum. Various means, such as reciprocating piston vacuum pumps, have been used but the power consumed in operating the same is large, the capacity limited and the losses due to leakage and the like prevent the production of a high degree 0t vacuum. In my invention, however, these disadvantages are reduced to a minimum, the capacity of the device is unlimited, a much higher degree of vacuum is obtained and an extremely small amount of energy is required for operating the same.

As another example, in the case where a fluid is to be compressed, the usual means heretofore used therefor was the reciprocat- This, however, has its limits and disadvantages, as in the case of the vacuum pump. My invention is intended to also act as a compressor, as well as a vacuum pump and its capacity, as such,

is also unlimited.

Some fluids or fluidal substances can not be compressed in the ordinary compressor by reason of their chemical aflinity for the materials usually entering in the construction of a compressor, but in my invention the parts may be made of any material whatever which will not be affected by the particular fluids acted upon.

As a further example in certain chemical processes it is very difficult to brin about particular reactions to any extent under ordinary conditions, such as for instance, the reaction of hot phorphorus in molten condition upon some other substance while submerged in a liquid, as water, and my invention comprehends the idea or" providing means for easily and safely carrying out such reactions. Molten metal may also be similarly manipulated and subjected to the conditions, such as compressibilit hot or cold, in fluidal substances of different densities. v

As a stilliurther example, certain diflicult physical or similar changes, such as the liquefaction of a gas, as air, is made practical and safe withmy invention, the device being capable of compressing the gas or air to the critical pressure for liquefactionand subjecting the same to the proper low temperature of the compressing fluid.

In accomplishing the above and allied results it may be observed that the device of my invention may be made of any suitable material for the purpose for which the device is to be used, as for example, in using 1 the device as a vacuum pump or air compressor, iron or steel may constitute the material of the device, when used as a chem1-.

cal apparatus glass, porcelain, hard rubber, gutta percha, composition, gold, silver or any substance not attached byany of the chemicals used and when used as an electrical device any insulating material may be utilized.

Inasmuch as the parts are so located and related as to reduce substantially all frictional and wearing actions, as well as leakage, as usually occur between a cylinder and a reciprocating piston, the efliciency of the deviceris necessarily high and the dissipating losses low.

Referring more particularly to the draw mg:

Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section through one form ofdevice illustrating my invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on line 2-2 of Fig; 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a part vertical section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a part vertical section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

As illustrated the device may comprise an upper chamber 1, a lower chamber 2, and an intermediate chamber or bell ,8, with the upper and lower chambers in communication with each other by a pair of vertical conduits or columns 4: and 5 and the intermediate and lower chambers in communication with each other simply by the lower opening 6 of and atthe lower end of the intermediate chamber. These chambers and conduits are otherwise closed except for a connection at the top of the upper chamber 1 leading to a space in which may be a vacuum, or a fluid to be acted upon and the connection 8 at the upper end of the intermediate chamber or taken on line hell 3 leading to any compressed fluid re-.

oeiver or to the atmosphere, or to a conduit leading to any collecting device, depending upon the use to which the device is put, as hereinafter more fully appears. The length i of the conduits 4 and 5 and the chamber 3 substantially thirty inches, while on the other hand, if the device is used as a compressor the length need only be that neces-1 sary to give the entrapped substance the desired pressure, as will more fully hereinafter appear.

The chamber 1, conduit 4:, chamber 2 and conduit 5 constitute a sort of rectangular endless passage through which is adapted to travel an. endless chain conveyer. carrying a series of buckets or vessels 10. At suitable points are located the sprockets 11, 12, 13

and 14 rotatably mounted upon the studs 15, 16 and 17 and shaft 18 respectively, the studs being fixed to the walls of the chamhere 1 and 2 and the shaft 18 passing through the opposed Walls of the chamber 2. This shaft extends to any suitable driving means, such as a motor, and operates to drive the chain 9 in the direction of the arrow 19 by means of the drive sprockets 14, the other sprockets being adapted to rotate idly as the chains travel thereover. The inner ends of the studs may be provided with a thrust collar 20 suitably held in place upon the studs by the pin or cotter 21 for maintaining the sprockets in proper position upon said studs. Similar collars 22 may be provided on the shaft 18 for maintaining the driving sprockets 14 in position upon the shaft, said collars being held in place by pins or cotters 23.

While I have selected, for illustration, chains conveyer means, it is to be understood, however, that any other means for conveying the buckets or vessels 10 along their prescribed path may be used without departing from the spirit of my invention. The chains used in the embodiment chosen to illustrate my invention may be composed of alternately single and double links 9 and 9 respectively, suitably pivotallyor flexibly connected together by the rivets24. The double links 9" provide spaces therebetween adapted to cooperate with the sprocket teeth 25 in a well known manner, whereby the chains may be fed in their prescribed direction.

At certain intervals along the chains are connected transversely thereof the shafts or spindles 26 with the ends of the latter passing through the eyes of the adjacent connected links and also operating as pivots therefor. In order to prevent the longitudinal movement of the shafts or spindles, as well as maintaining the chains in properly spaced parallel relation, each of said shafts or spindles 26 may be provided on both sides of the links 9 with washers 27 and cotter pins 28, the latter passingthrough suitable perforations provided in the spindles.

Upon these spindles or shafts, between the chains and spaced therefrom so as not to interfere therewith, are freely suspended the buckets or vessels 10. These buckets or vessels may be of general cylindrical shape, although any other suitable form may be used, with one end closed and constructed into the form of a cone 29 and the other end open. Adjacent the rim and on the, diametrically opposite sides of each bucket are rigidly secured a pair of perforated ears 30 and 31 with the perforated portions thereof extending aeyond the open rim of the bucket and freely fitting over the shaft or spindle 26, whereby the buckets may freely rotate about such shaft.

For the purpose of maintainingthe buckets or vessels in proper position upon the shafts and for preventing a shift of the buckets longitudinally thereof the shafts may be sented to .or contacts with the upper surface I or level 34 of the liquid or liquidal substance in the upper chamber; second, that the bucket shall tip at the end of or subsequent to its downward travel in the conduit 4 in order to bring the open end of the bucket upwardly beneath the open lower end of the chamber or hell 3, and third, thatthe bucket shall tip at or just prior to the end of its upward movement in the conduit 5 so that no liquid will be lifted thereby above the liquid surface or level '34 and that the bucket be inclined to pour out any liquid or substance contained therein during its upward movement in the conduit 5.

For accomplishing the above operations or functions the device may be provided with tipping means or track guides with which the buckets may be adapted to successively engage to move the buckets into the positions aforementioned. Each bucket, is, therefore, provided with an arm 35 rigidly secured to the side of. the bucket, and in the form shown, preferably, as an integral extension of the ear 31. This arm maybe laterally offset and provided at its 'end with a roller 36 adapted to engage the tipping means aforementioned. noted, may be located so as to operate in the space provided between one of the chains and the adjacent side of the buckets. In the lower chamber 2 and to a lateral wall thereof is secured one of the tipping means mentioned above, comprising a short bent or curved track member 37 rigidly se- This arm, it'will be cured to or integrally formed with the post 38 also integrally secured, in any suitable manner, bv its baseflange 39 to the side wall of the chamber 2. The track member 37'is located in the space provided between one of the chains and the adjacent side of the buckets or vessels and in the path of the arms 35 for engagement thereby.

In the upper chamber 1 is also provided a i track arranged in general horizontal disposition with the ends 41 and '42 downwardly curved and secured in any suitable manner to the inner walls of the conduits 4 and 5 respectively. This track is also located in the space provided between one of the chains, as well as, the sprocket wheels carrying said chain, and the adjacent side of the buckets and in the path of thejarms 35 for engagement thereby.

It may be observed, however, that the vessels might be of different shape, such as wholly conical or conoidal and rigldly connected to the chain so that the axis of each vessel may be substantially parallel thereto and by reason of the inclined walls ofsuclr vessels. the substances included therein readily escape therefrom at the proper places Without the use of any tipping means, such as the tracks 37 and 4).

In operation the shaft 18 and sprocket l4 drive the chains 9 in the direction shown by the arrow 19, thereby lifting the buckets or vessels through the substance in the conduit 5, the buckets at this place being also filled with substance; As each bucket arrives near the upper level or surface 34 the roller 36 of the arm engages with the curved end 42 of the track thereby causing the bucket or vessel to tip about the shaft 26 as an axle so that the fluidal substance contained in the 4. During this passage the arm 35 may be maintained in contact with the track 40'so as to maintain said bucket in a more or less inclined position with its open end in the lower position, thusfacilitating the presenting ofthe open end of the bucket to the surface 34 over the conduit 4 in the down 1 movement of. the bucket. As the bucket moves from its horizontal travel in chamber 1 to its vertical travel in the conduit 4, the arm 35 leaves the tracks 40 at substantially the same time as the lower open end of the bucket is plunged through the surface At this instant, the fluid or fluidal substances that previously iillcd the bucket from the chamber 1 are trapped in the bucket by the substance of greater specific gravity or density sealing the mouth thereof at the surface 34 and as the bucket is moved downwardly through such substance. in the conduit 4 this entrapped matter is exposed to the progressively greater static pressure in the fluidal'volume, or in other words, in creasingly compressing the entrapped fluidal 'suiostance as the depth, to which the bucket moves therein, increases. The volume of the entrapped matter may decrease and occupy the upper or cone part 29 of the bucket, in this way, buoyantly maintaining the bucket in upright position, with the cone29 uppermost, during the travel of the bucket through the conduit 4 to the point wnere the arm comes in contact with-the track 37. At the latter point the roller 36 will first engage the track 37 above the bend 43 so that as the chains are drawn horizontally to the right, asshown in Fig. l, the roller will ride upwardly over the curved surface 44 of the track 37 to practically reverse the position of the bucket. After such'reversal of the bucket and upon the further movement of the chains the roller 36'will again ride down the curved surface 44 onto the lower leg 45 of the track 37 and finally disengage therefrom, the bucket being in the position shown in the lower part of Fig. 1.

At the time when the bucket is being reversed in position and the mouth thereof is presented uppermost the entrapped matter will be buoyantly released and delivered therefrom to the level 46 in the chamber 3.

If the device is used as a vacuum pump the successive extractions or subtractions of certain volumes of fluid from the chamber 1 creates and maintains a rarefied or exhausted condition therein and the apparatus to which the connection 7 leads, and the extracted or subtracted gases expelled into the chamber 3 may be vented to the atmosphere or otherwise as may be desired. The difference in the levels 34 and 46 taken in connection with the density of the compress ing liquid used is a measure of the difference of pressures between the two chambers 1 and 3. Therefore, where the pressure in the chamber 3 is atmospheric, thatin chamber 1 is a vacuum, while, on the other hand, if 95 the pressure in the chamber 1 is atmospheric, that in chamber 3 is under compression.

in the latter situation, when the device is used as a compressor, the successive entrapped charges of elastic fluid received in 100 the chamber 1 will be progressively added or augmented to that in chamber 3 in compressed condition. 7

When the device is used as a chemical apparatus, as for example, for subjecting a 165 molten material such as metal, to a reactive agent while under a high pressure, the device may be subjected to the heat sufficient to melt the metal in the upper chamber and the vessels may then convey the same 110 through a dense medium, such as mercury, to the lower chamber where the molten metal,

' while in compressed condition'and while hot may be released and exposed to the medium filling the intermediate chamber.

' If the device is to be used for the liqu'efao tion of gaseous fluids, the upper chamber may be supplied with such fluids where the vessels may entrap them and subject them to a high pressure in adense medium, such as mercury, the latter being cooled to a low temperature in any suitable manner, whereby the combined pressure and low temperature of the entrapped fluid will act to liquefy such fluid and permit the same to be accumu- I25 lated in the intermediate chamber.

It is believed that other uses may be readily perceived from the above and further exemplification is deemed unnecessary.

While I have herein described and illus trated upon the accompanying drawing, one embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood, however, that such invention is not limited to the particular details disclosed but that any other equivalent means may be used to carry out my invention, without, in any way, departing from the spirit thereof and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A mechanical means for operating upon fluidal matter comprising a series of movable open vessels, means for moving said vessels to physically entrap therein certain volumes of said matter and to expose the same to increasing pressure, stationary means successively operative upon said movable vessels to relieve said entrapped matter from said vessels and means for receiving said relieved and compressed matter.

2. An apparatus for operating upon fluidal matter comprising a container, movable cntrapping vessels adapted to entrap volumes of fluidal matter in a space of one pressure, means for moving said vessels through said container and through fluidal matter of different density for augmenting the pressure upon said entrapped matter, vessel inverting means engageable by said vessels for causing the escape of said entrapped and compressed matter to a space of another pressure.

3. In a mechanical system for operating upon fluidal matter, the combination of an upper chamber, a lower chamber, fluidal container communicating with said upper and lower chambers, an intermediate chamber communicating with said lower chamber, and an endless series of open vessels, means to successively move said vessels from said upper to said lower chambers, by said intermediatechamber and from said lower to said upper chambers, through said communicating container, means located in said upper chamber for positioning said vessels in said upper chamber for receiving a volume of fluidal matter and for entrapping said matter as said vessels move through said communicating container, means located in said lower chamber for positioning said vessels in said lower chamber for causing the delivery of said entrapped matter to said intermediate chamber.

4. In a mechanical system for operating upon fluidal matter, the combination of a container, a series of open vessels, means for plunging and submerging said vessels into said fluidal matter with the openings thereof lowermost whereby fluidal matter of relatively less density may be entrapped in said vessels, a chamber in open communication with the lower portion of said container, means for positively inverting and presenting the openings of said vessels opporelease and delivery of said duits, rotatable means for supporting and moving said conveyor, a plurality of serially spaced vessels connected to said conveyer, said vessels each provided with an open end, positioning guide tracks in said upper and said lower chambers, arms upon said vessels for engagement with said tracks for tipping said vessels with the opening thereof lowermost in said upper chamber and said opening of said vessel uppermost beneath said opening of said intermediate chamber in said lower chamber whereby fluidal material in said upper chamber enters said vessels passing therethrough, is entrapped and compressed when passing through said conduit and released opposite saidopening in said intermediate chamber for delivery thereto.

6. In an apparatus for operating upon fluidal materials'of different densities, the combination of a container for containing such materials indifferent strata, movable,

means for conveying the fluidal material of the lesser density through the fluidal material of greater density whereby said'conveyed material is exposed to pressure, stationary means operable on said movable means for delivering and exposing said compressed material to active material of different density. a

7. In an apparatus for attenuating and compressing a fluidic substance, the combination of a container, a chamber located within said container and provided'with an opening at the lower portion thereof, an endless series of vessels adapted to travel in an endless path in said container around said chamber whereby said vessels pass successively beneath said opening 1n said chamber, rotatable means for supporting said series of vessels during the endless travel thereof, means located adjacent said opening of said chamber and adapted to change the position of said vessels relative to said opening of said chamber during the travel of said vessels beneath said opening of said chamber.

8. In an apparatus for creating and maintaining a vacuum and for compressing a fluid, the combination of a container, a'bell 1 7 provided with an opening atits lower end located in said chamber, an endless conveying means in said container surrounding engage said curved means whereby said vessaid bell and adapted to move beneath said sels are successively pivotally turned beneath 10 opening in said bell, an endless series of said opening of said bell whereby the openspaced vessels pivotally attached to said endin s of said vessels are presented uppermost. less conveying means, each vessel provided 11 witness whereof I hereunto set my with an opening, curved means located adj ahand this 1st day of July, 1919. V

cent the path of travel of said vessels, means 7 i carried by each of said vessels adapted to MILLARD P. OSBOURN. 

